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enDnipro banned from European competitionDnipro were one of three clubs banned by UEFA because of financial issues.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/dnipro-banned-european-competition
Last season's Europa League runners-up Dnipro have been banned from UEFA competition due to financial issues.
The Ukrainian outfit, who suffered a 3-2 loss to Sevilla in last season's final, are excluded from the next UEFA competition they qualify for in the next three campaigns.
Azerbaijan's Inter Baku and Romanian club Targu Mures have been handed identical sanctions, the governing body announced on Thursday.
Dnipro are fourth in the Ukrainian Premier League this season, a distant 18 points behind leaders Dynamo Kiev.
They lost numerous players after their European run as the likes of Yevhen Konoplyanka, Nikola Kalinic and Jaba Kankava departed.
Dnipro failed to get beyond the group stages in the Europa League this season, finishing behind Lazio and Saint-Etienne in Group G.
news_articleThu, 31 Mar 2016 21:10:25 +0000Anonymous553092 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comRamos was offered Chelsea job - AlvarezThe experience of managing Real Madrid left Juande Ramos unwilling to become Chelsea manager, according to his former fitness coach.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/ramos-was-offered-chelsea-job-alvarez
Juande Ramos turned down the opportunity to manage Chelsea due to a perceived lack of job security, according to his former Tottenham colleague Marcos Alvarez.
Former Spurs fitness coach Alvarez, who also worked alongside Ramos at Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, has claimed that Chelsea approached the Spaniard to replace Jose Mourinho before appointing Guus Hiddink.
Alvarez told Spanish radio station Canal Sur that the experience of working at Madrid, where he was axed after just six months in charge, left Ramos unwilling to risk another short-term appointment.
"Juande had an offer from Chelsea," said Alvarez. "It is complicated to say no to a club like that, but he put conditions on the table to get the project under way and at the end there was no agreement.
"He has very clear ideas. His thinking is not just about going to an elite club that plays in the Champions League."
He added: "He wants to enjoy his profession in an interesting place with a proper project. We already had the experience of Real Madrid and he did not want to go through the same again, with a club where there are no guarantees of continuing even if you do a good job."news_articleWed, 13 Jan 2016 19:47:58 +0000Anonymous505718 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Monaco, Ajax crash outMonaco and Ajax failed to make it to round of 32, while Liverpool and Tottenham sealed top spot in their respective groups.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-monaco-ajax-crash-out
A 4-1 loss away to Tottenham and Anderlecht's 2-1 win at home to Qarabag mean Monaco failed to qualify for the Europa League round of 32.
Monaco were already behind Anderlecht and needed to win and hope the Belgians lost to ensure passage to the next round.
However, Erik Lamela's first-half hat-trick guided Tottenham to a big 4-1 win which confirmed their place at the top of Group J after the final matchday.
Eredivisie leaders Ajax were also knocked out of the group stages after they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against Molde.
Ajax needed to win and and hope Fenerbahce lost at home to Celtic, but a 1-1 draw was enough for the Turkish club to progress with Molde in Group A.
The news was not so great for Besiktas however, with a 3-1 loss away to Sporting CP sealing their elimination from the tournament.
Besiktas only needed a draw to advance, and things were looking good when Mario Gomez gave them a 1-0 lead just before the hour-mark.
But three goals in the space of 10 minutes saw Sporting book second in Group H behind Lokomotiv Moscow, who picked up a 3-0 win away to Albanian side Skenderbeu Korce.
Liverpool sealed top spot in Group B after a 0-0 draw away to Sion, which was enough for the Swiss club to go through after Bordeaux's 2-2 draw at home to Rubin Kazan.
In Group C, Borussia Dortmund gave up first place after a 1-0 home loss to PAOK.
Russian club Krasnodar took their place with a 3-0 away win to Qabala.
Napoli were the only club to have a 100 per cent record in the group stages following a 5-2 win over Legia Warsaw.
The Serie A club won all six of their games, scoring 22 goals and conceding just three.
Danish champions Midtjylland join them from Group D after picking up a 1-1 draw at home to Club Brugge.
The two clubs to progress from Group E were already decided before the final matchday, with Rapid Vienna's 2-1 win over Dinamo Minsk meaning they finish above Villarreal, who drew 3-3 with Viktoria Plzen.
Marseille booked their spot in the round of 32 with a 4-2 win away to Slovan Liberec, while Sporting Braga topped Group F with a 0-0 stalemate away to Groningen.
Group G winners Lazio ensured they made it through the group stages unbeaten with a 1-1 draw against Saint-Etienne, who also advanced, while Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk beat Rosenborg 3-0.
Fiorentina sealed their progression with a 1-0 win at home to Belenenses, while Basel secured top spot in Group I with a 1-0 away win against Lech Poznan.
Schalke and Sparta Prague were already qualified for the next round and capped off their dominance in Group K with away wins against Asteras Tripolis and APOEL respectively.
Meanwhile, Augsburg scored an 89th-minute goal to qualify for the next round and kick Partizan out on goal difference.
In the other game of Group L, winners Athletic Bilbao drew 2-2 at home to AZ.news_articleFri, 11 Dec 2015 01:28:02 +0000Anonymous491740 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Clubs vying for survivalSeveral big name clubs including Ajax, Fiorentina and Marseille are all fighting to stay alive in this season's Europa League.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-clubs-vying-survival
As the Europa League heads into the final matchday, several big name clubs are still aiming to seal qualification into the round of 32.
Ajax have arguably the toughest test ahead of them, with a victory away to 2014 Norwegian Tippeligaen champions Molde needed as well as a Fenerbahce loss against Celtic.
The Eredivisie club are on six points, with Fenerbahce on eight and Molde on 10.
Celtic have already been eliminated with the Scottish champions picking up only two points from a possible 15.
Ajax defender Mitchell Dijks is confident the club can do the business over the already-qualified Molde but knows their fate is out of their hands.
"Fenerbahce must of course lose, but that's football," Dijks told AmsterdamFM. "It may still be. Molde is a good team, but when you play at home the pressure is reversed. I think we'll get the three points."
Fiorentina and Marseille are in much better positions to advance, however.
Fiorentina are second in Group I but a loss against Portuguese side Belenenses will see them eliminated.
The Serie A club have seven points, with both Belenenses and Lech Poznan both sitting on five.
Poznan need to beat the already-qualified Basel and a Belenenses win over Fiorentina to advance to the round of 32.
Marseille, like Fiorentina, sit in second place in their group but play away to Slovan Liberec - who are just two points behind them in third place.
A draw is enough for Marseille to advance but Liberec will be going all out for the victory.
In the other Group F clash, leaders Sporting Braga travel to Netherlands to face the winless Groningen.
Rubin Kazan are still alive in Group B, while Liverpool will be looking to secure top spot.
Kazan need to win against the already-eliminated Bordeaux, but need Liverpool to beat second-placed Sion to advance.
Liverpool need just a point to finish top of the group, while a point for Sion will seal their progression into the round of 32.
Group C has already been decided, with Krasnodar leading Borussia Dortmund on head-to-head.
Only a Dortmund win against PAOK and a Krasnodar slip-up against Qabala will see the Germans top the group.
Napoli are the only club to win every game of the group stages so far and will host Legia Warsaw as they look to make it six from six in Group D.
However, it is all to play for as Midtjylland, Club Brugge and Legia play for second place.
A win for Midtjylland against Brugge will see them advance, while a point and Legia failing to win will also see them advance.
Brugge can finish second with a win over Midtjylland, while Legia's only chance of progression is a win over Dortmund and a draw in the other game.
Group G is already decided, with opponents Lazio and Saint-Etienne confirmed to finish first and second respectively. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk faces Rosenborg in a dead rubber.
Besiktas, Sporting CP and Lokomotiv Moscow are all fighting for progression in Group H.
Besiktas will be through with a draw against Sporting, while a win would seal first in the group.
Sporting will be through with a win, while a draw would be enough if Lokomotiv lose.
A win for Lokomotiv would be enough to go through, while a Besiktas win would also see them progress no matter what.
In Group J, Tottenham need a draw against Monaco to seal top spot.
Monaco need a win over Tottenham to go through, but hope Anderlecht suffer defeat against Qarabag.
Qarabag are also still alive and will go through with a win and a Monaco loss.
The Azerbaijani side can also go through if they win and the other game is a draw, as they secured more points among the other two teams that would also finish on seven points.
Schalke and Sparta Prague are both through from Group K, with Asteras Tripoli and APOEL already eliminated.
In the final group, Partizan and Augsburg will fight it out to see who progresses from Group G along with Athletic Bilbao. news_articleTue, 08 Dec 2015 05:35:49 +0000Anonymous490371 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Liverpool advance, Celtic crash outLiverpool booked their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare, but Celtic's hopes of a spot were dashed by Ajax.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-liverpool-advance-celtic-crash-out
Liverpool, Tottenham, Villarreal and Schalke all booked their places in the Europa League round of 32, while Bordeaux and Celtic were among those to suffer elimination.
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool fell behind in their Group B clash with Bordeaux when Henri Saivet converted an indirect free-kick awarded for time-wasting by Simon Mignolet.
However, Christian Benteke's fine strike in first-half stoppage time followed James Milner's penalty, booking their place in the knockout stages via a 2-1 victory and meaning they require just a point against Sion - who suffered a 2-0 defeat to Rubin - next time out to win the group.
Celtic got off to an excellent start when they went ahead at home to Ajax inside three minutes, but second-half goals from Arkadiusz Milik and substitute Vaclav Cerny sent them crashing out following a 2-1 loss.
Ajax were unable to close the gap on Fenerbahce, however, who overcame Group A leaders Molde 2-0.
Frank de Boer's Ajax must defeat Molde in their final outing to have any chance of advancing to the next stage.
Harry Kane scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham booked their place in the knockout stages with victory at Qarabag, but with Monaco going down 2-0 at home to Anderlecht all three sides remain capable of taking the final qualifying spot.
Villarreal took control of Group E with a 1-0 victory over Rapid Vienna, while Dinamo Minsk ended a run of four straight defeats with a 1-0 win against Viktoria Plzen.
Schalke and Sparta Prague secured progression with 1-0 wins over APOEL and Asteras Tripolis respectively, leaving top spot up for grabs when the German and Czech sides meet on matchday six.
Basel got the point they needed to cement first place in Group I, coming from two goals down to former coach Paulo Sousa's Fiorentina side to draw 2-2, while Lech Poznan and Belenenses are both in with a shot of displacing the Italian side in second after their goalless draw in Lisbon.
Krasnodar ensured it was they who would join Borussia Dortmund in the top two places of Group C, defeating the German side - who hit the woodwork three times - 1-0 courtesy of Pavel Mamaev's second-minute penalty and sending PAOK and Qabala packing.
PAOK and Qabala drew 0-0.
Lazio confirmed themselves as group winners by overcoming Dnipro 3-1 in a result that meant Saint-Etienne's 1-1 draw away at Rosenberg was enough for them to make sure of second position.
Legia Warsaw kept their hopes of making the knockout stages alive with Aleksandar Prijovic's looping header earning a 1-0 victory over Midtjylland, but Club Brugge failed to take advantage as they lost to Napoli – who have taken maximum points from their five games – by the same score.
Braga tightened their grip on pole position by defeating Slovan Liberec 2-1, with the Czech side dropping down to third as a result of Marseille's 2-1 win at home to Groningen - Michy Batshuayi with a late winner.
Lokomotiv Moscow failed to get the win they needed in order to qualify as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to an impressive Sporting CP, but Skenderbeu Korce's exit was confirmed with a 2-0 loss at new leaders Besiktas.
Partizan's 2-1 win at AZ Alkmaar keeps them in the hunt and eliminates the Dutch side, but Athletic Bilbao secured top spot as two goals in three minutes from Aritz Aduriz saw them come from behind to beat Augsburg 3-2 in Bavaria.news_articleFri, 27 Nov 2015 00:02:08 +0000Anonymous485664 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comPioli eyes improvement after Lazio qualify for last 32Lazio confirmed their spot in the Europa League last 32 as Group G winners after overcoming Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pioli-eyes-improvement-after-lazio-qualify-last-32
Stefano Pioli quickly turned his attention to Serie A after Lazio qualified for the Europa League round of 32 on Thursday, with the coach demanding improvement domestically.
Lazio advanced to the next round as Group G winners after defeating last season's finalists Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 3-1.
Antonio Candreva, Marco Parolo and Filip Djordjevic were all on target as the Italian capital club extended their unbeaten run in the Europa League through five matches.
Lazio's form in Europe is in complete contrast to Serie A, where they have lost six of 13 games to languish in eighth position amid an inconsistent start to the season.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Pioli said: "In Serie A we are distracted in some situations and you cannot afford that in Italy.
"Qualifying for the next round is a good result, it's only the first step, but we want to do well in Serie A too and above all improve the unsatisfying performances. We lack consistency.
"The statistics speak clearly and are positive, because in Europe we allow fewer shots to our opponents, fewer crosses and fewer opportunities. We are set out well, but lack the focus not to concede a goal.
"It's not an issue of mentality or attitude. We just need more consistency to rediscover our confidence and enthusiasm. We must believe in our work. Now we have to climb up the Serie A table so we can qualify for Europe again next season."
The Lazio coach also confirmed Ravel Morrison will face sanctions from the club after departing from the team camp prematurely, despite not being given permission to do so.
"Morrison asked for a special permission which was not granted to him, but he still left the camp so the club will definitely take action," Pioli said.news_articleThu, 26 Nov 2015 22:10:27 +0000Anonymous485623 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Celtic facing crucial clash, Liverpool poisedCeltic need a win against Ajax in the Europa League, while Liverpool can qualify with victory over Bordeaux.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-celtic-facing-crucial-clash-liverpool-poised
Celtic are staring at elimination but captain Scott Brown fancies the Scottish champions' chances at home to Ajax as they look to stay alive in the Europa League.
Brown and his team-mates welcome Ajax to Parkhead on Thursday, with Celtic still searching for their first win in the competition this season.
Celtic have lost two matches and drawn as many to languish at the foot of Group A, three points behind Fenerbahce, who occupy the second and final qualification spot as they prepare to face leaders Molde on the road.
If Fenerbahce win, the Turkish side will be through, but Brown is upbeat heading into matchday five, pointing to Celtic's opening 2-2 draw at Ajax in September.
"Ajax have always produced good players and they have some in the current team," he said.
"We've played them quite often in recent years and I enjoyed that. Hopefully, I'll be able to enjoy this one as well.
"We did well in Amsterdam and we need to take the positives from that game. I think we showed that we could hurt them. It was just a pity that Emilio Izaguirre was sent off over there and they came back to equalise, but these things happen in football and we need to bounce back.
"A clean sheet would be good, but, as long as we score more goals than they do, I don't really mind."
Liverpool are in a much better position as they prepare to welcome Group B rivals Bordeaux to Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp and Co. are a win away from the knockout stage after leaving Rubin Kazan with all three points last time out.
Klopp, however, is desperate to oversee a change of fortune on Merseyside.
Liverpool, who are likely to be without Philippe Coutinho due to a hamstring strain suffered in the 4-1 rout of Manchester City last week, have only won one of their past five home fixtures in all competitions.
Group leaders Sion can seal progression with victory at Rubin.
Tottenham and Monaco will qualify together if they beat Qarabag and Anderlecht respectively in Group J.
Napoli will be out to make it five wins from as many Group D games when they travel to third-placed Club Brugge.
Midtjylland - away to Legia Warsaw - are assured of second position if they win and Brugge fail to beat Napoli.
High-flying Borussia Dortmund and second-placed Krasnodar square off in Group C, with PAOK also in action at home to Qabala.
Group K leaders Schalke require victory to move through to the next round, while Sparta Prague - set to host Asteras Tripolis - will join them if APOEL fail to beat the Bundesliga side.
Lazio only need to avoid defeat against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to advance from Group G.
Rosenborg will be eliminated if they are unable to beat Saint-Etienne.
Already-qualified Rapid Vienna travel to Villarreal in Group E, while winless Dinamo Minsk entertain Viktoria Plzen.
Paulo Sousa will face former club Basel when Fiorentina make the trip to Switzerland in a top-of-the-table clash in Group I.
Belenenses tackle Lech Poznan.
In Group H, Lokomotiv Moscow face Sporting CP and Skenderbeu Korce are away to Besiktas.
Group L leaders Athletic Bilbao play Augsburg away from home, while AZ Alkmaar welcome Partizan to AFAS Stadion.
Sporting Braga and Slovan Liberec face off in Group F, which also sees Marseille and Groningen in action.news_articleTue, 24 Nov 2015 04:48:40 +0000Anonymous484309 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Napoli, Dortmund ease into last 32Borussia Dortmund and Napoli were among those to qualify for the last 32 of the Europa League with two games of the group stage remaining.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-napoli-dortmund-ease-last-32
The last 32 of the Europa League will feature Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Molde and Rapid Vienna after they qualified with victories on Thursday.
Dortmund knew a win over Qabala coupled with success for Krasnodar over PAOK would ensure them a place in the knockout stages and Thomas Tuchel's men did their bit with a resounding 4-0 success at Signal Iduna Park.
Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan - who missed the reverse fixture due to security concerns - was on the scoresheet, while goals from Ari and Joaozinho ensure Krasnodar a 2-1 win over PAOK in Russia.
Maurizio Sarri's Napoli also wasted little time sealing their progression, maintaining a 100 per cent record with a 5-1 hammering of Midtjylland - Manolo Gabbiadini scoring twice. The Danish side remain second in Group D thanks to Club Brugge's 1-0 victory over Legia Warsaw.
Like Napoli, Rapid Vienna boast a 100 per cent record in Group E as Philipp Schobesberger's brace helped the leaders to a 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen, Villarreal seeing off Dinamo Minsk by the same scoreline elsewhere in the group.
Molde remain unbeaten in Group A as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side downed 10-man Celtic 2-1 in Glasgow, the Scottish champions retaining a slim chance of qualification thanks to Fenerbahce's 0-0 draw with Ajax.
Aritz Aduriz moved to 100 goals in all competitions for Athletic Bilbao and Inaki Williams weighed in with a brace in their 5-1 rout of Partizan.
Augsburg joined Partizan on six points in joint second in Group L as they made it back-to-back wins in the competition courtesy of a 4-1 success against AZ - Raul Bobadilla scoring a hat-trick with Ji Dong-won also on target.
Ji's former coach Jurgen Klopp remains unbeaten as Liverpool manager thanks to Jordon Ibe's goal against Rubin Kazan.
The youngster was handed a chance to impress and took full advantage with a winner seven minutes into the second half, Liverpool two points behind Group B leaders Sion, who needed a late Clement Chantome own-goal to draw 1-1 with Bordeaux.
Tottenham moved top of Group J as Mousa Dembele earned a 2-1 win over Anderlecht after Monaco had drawn 1-1 with Qarabag. Filip Djordjevic's brace put 10-man Lazio on the verge of qualification from Group G after a 2-0 win over Rosenborg.
Dnipro can still have a say in the group despite a 3-0 defeat to Saint-Etienne, while Schalke and Sparta Prague remain in pole position in Group K despite drawing 1-1 in the Czech capital. Asteras Tripolis moved off the bottom with a 2-0 win over APOEL.
Group I's pacesetters Basel and Fiorentina bolstered their chances with 2-0 wins over Belenenses and Lech Poznan respectively, with Skenderbeu Korce the only winners in Group H after leaders Lokomotiv Moscow were held 1-1 by second-place Besiktas.
Skenderbeu beat Sporting CP 3-0 in Albania as the visitors had goalkeeper Rui Patricio dismissed 17 minutes in.news_articleThu, 05 Nov 2015 23:45:57 +0000Anonymous476623 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Benteke returns for Liverpool, Tottenham host AnderlechtChristian Benteke is back in Liverpool's starting XI after recovering from injury.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-benteke-returns-liverpool-tottenham-host-anderlecht
Christian Benteke is expected to be named in Liverpool's starting line-up for their Europa League trip to Rubin Kazan on Thursday.
The Belgian striker has been a peripheral figure at the club this season, with his debut campaign at Anfield blighted by injuries.
However, after coming off the bench to score in Liverpool's 3-1 Premier League defeat of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Benteke has convinced manager Jurgen Klopp to name him in the first XI.
"The decision between Roberto [Firmino] and Christian… Christian was not 100 per cent, so he needs time to play," the German said.
"Now he is a big step ahead so we can plan with him."
The Reds sit second in Group B after three matches, with their winless Russian opponents propping up the table having won two of their past 10 games in all competitions.
Swiss outfit Sion - who top the table by four points – take on Ligue 1 side Bordeaux in the group's other game.
In a tight Group J, Tottenham host Anderlecht at White Hart Lane.
Mauricio Pochettino's men are domestically on a 10-game unbeaten run but have found points tougher to come by in Europe, having taken four from three games.
Spurs lost 2-1 to their Belgian opponents when then two sides met at Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in October but have been the bolstered by the return to form of striker Harry Kane.
Monaco, who top the table by a point, make the trip to Baku to face Qarabag in the other clash.
Serie A side Napoli will be hoping to continue their 100 per cent record in Group D when they take on Denmark's Midtjylland at Stadio San Paolo.
Maurizio Sarri's side have been untouchable in Europe this season and have built up a 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
In the other group game, strugglers Legia Warsaw and Club Brugge will be hoping to kick-start their campaigns when they meet in Belgium's north-west, with both sides languishing on one point.
Lazio can close in on qualification from Group G with victory over Rosenborg on Thursday, while 2014-15 Europa League runners-up Dnipro entertain Saint-Etienne.
Ajax will be aiming to record their first win in Group A when they host Turkey's Fenerbahce at the Amsterdam Arena, while surprise leaders Molde travel to face Ronny Deila's Celtic.
Borussia Dortmund face bottom-of-the-table Qabala at Westfalenstadion in Group C, as PAOK travel to Krasnodar.
In Group H, Besiktas play leaders Lokomotiv Moscow and Sporting CP head to Albania to play point-less Skenderbeu Korce.
Athletic Bilbao take on Partizan as the top two meet in Group L, and AZ Alkmaar head to Germany for their contest with Augsburg.
In the day's other fixtures, Groningen play Liberec, Marseille host Braga, Belenenses meet Basel and Fiorentina are up against Lech Poznan.
Sparta Prague will take on Schalke, while APOEL greet Asteras Tripolis in a Group K encounter.
Unbeaten Rapid Vienna head to the Czech Republic for their game with Viktoria Plzen and Dinamo Minsk welcome La Liga outfit Villarreal.news_articleTue, 03 Nov 2015 06:08:55 +0000Anonymous475220 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Liverpool held by Rubin Kazan, Anderlecht defeat TottenhamJurgen Klopp made a low-key Anfield debut as Liverpool were frustrated by Rubin Kazan, while Anderlecht beat Tottenham.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-liverpool-held-rubin-kazan-anderlecht-defeat-tottenham
Liverpool remain winless in Group B of the Europa League as they were held to a 1-1 draw with 10-man Rubin Kazan on Jurgen Klopp's Anfield debut.
Klopp's men fell behind after 15 minutes of play when Marko Devic found the net before Liverpool were given a double boost when Oleg Kuzmin received his second booking of the evening in the 36th minute and Emre Can levelled the scoring shortly after.
Nevertheless, the hosts were unable to add a second and had to settle for their third consecutive draw in the competition.
Elsewhere in Group B, Bordeaux were beaten 1-0 at home by Sion courtesy of a Leo Lacroix strike in the 21st minute.
Tottenham lost their unbeaten status in Group J as they were beaten 2-1 by Anderlecht. Christian Eriksen opened the scoring early on for Spurs, but Guillaume Gillet restored parity shortly after. Stefano Okaka then helped the hosts to maximum points with an easy finish after a superb cross from the left.
Monaco remain top following Thursday's narrow 1-0 win over Qarabag, Lacina Traore's second-half strike the difference.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang helped Borussia Dortmund to a 3-1 win at Qabala with a superb hat-trick. The Bundesliga side lead the way in Group C with seven points from three games, three points clear of Krasnodar, who drew 0-0 with third-placed PAOK.
Molde remain in firm control of Group A top spot following a sublime win over Celtic as Mohamed Elyounoussi shone for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, scoring once and setting up another to guide his team to a 3-1 victory. Fenerbahce, meanwhile, climbed to second spot as they beat Ajax 1-0 courtesy of Fernandao's 89th-minute header.
In Group D, Napoli recorded a comfortable 4-1 away win over Midtjylland, with Manolo Gabbiadini netting twice and Gonzalo Higuain also scoring. Legia Warsaw recorded a 1-1 draw at home against Club Brugge in the other game in that group.
Villarreal beat Dinamo Minsk 4-0 in Group E, with Rapid Vienna defeating Viktoria Plzen 3-2.
Marseille fought back after falling 2-0 behind against Braga, but it eventually counted for nothing as they conceded a third goal in the dying seconds of the match. Groningen, meanwhile, got their first point in Group F as Danny Hoesen scored in the 96th minute to draw 1-1 against Slovan Liberec.
Lazio recorded an important 3-1 win over Rosenborg in Group G, despite a red card for Mauricio before the interval, while Saint-Etienne narrowly beat Dnipro 1-0.
Lokomotiv Moscow held on to top spot in Group H following a 1-1 draw with Besiktas, while Sporting CP beat Skenderbeu 5-1.
Fiorentina were shocked 2-1 by Lech Poznan at the Artemio Franchi and now sit last in Group I, while leaders Basel were also beaten 2-1 by Belenenses.
Schalke had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Sparta Prague in Group K, yet remain top, with APOEL beating Asteras 2-1.
Athletic Bilbao beat Partizan 2-0 to go top of Group L, with AZ losing 1-0 at home against Augsburg.news_articleThu, 22 Oct 2015 22:09:25 +0000Anonymous470616 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Mertens misses Midtjylland, Fenerbahce sweat on Nani fitnessDries Mertens will miss Napoli's game against Midtjylland after the Belgian attacker suffered a thigh injury.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-mertens-misses-midtjylland-fenerbahce-sweat-nani-fitness
Napoli will be without Dries Mertens for their Europa League Group D clash with Midtjylland on Thursday at the Stadio San Paolo.
The Belgium international attacker was taken off with 10 minutes to play in Napoli's 2-1 win over Fiorentina but only after providing a back-heel assist for Gonzalo Higuain's winner.
Maurizio Sarri's men have won their opening two Europa League games and arrive into matchday three in fine form, enjoying a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Midtjylland, meanwhile, have won five games in succession and top the Superliga by three points after 12 games.
Legia Warsaw and Club Brugge, with two defeats each, meet in the group's other game.
In Group A, Fenerbahce and Ajax remain winless as they meet at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium on Thursday.
Question marks remain over the fitness of Nani for the Turkish hosts, with the former Manchester United winger set to undergo scans on Tuesday after picking up an injury in Sunday's 1-0 win over Kayserispor.
The 28-year-old has impressed following his off-season move, establishing himself as a key player in Vitor Pereira's side with four goals and four assists in all competitions.
Ajax are faring better domestically and lead the Eredivisie after nine games.
Table-toppers Molde host Scottish champions Celtic in the other Group A fixture.
Jurgen Klopp will experience his first fixture at Anfield when his Liverpool meet Rubin Kazan, with Bordeaux playing Switzerland's Sion in Group B.
Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham cross the channel for their away tie against Anderlecht in Group J, with Monaco entertaining Azerbaijani side Qarabag at the Stade Louis II.
Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga will hope to extend their 100 per cent record when they host Marseille, while Groningen go in search of their first points of the season in Europe when they travel to the Czech Republic to play Slovan Liberec.
Stadio Olimpico will be the scene of Lazio's meeting with Rosenborg, with last season's runners-up Dnipro facing Ligue 1's Saint-Etienne.
Group C leaders Borussia Dortmund face a tough trip to Azerbaijan to play Qabala, with Dimitar Berbatov's PAOK facing Krasnodar.
Villarreal will be hoping to record back-to-back victories when they play Dinamo Minsk, having lost their Group E opener.
The Spanish team have some ground to make up on Rapid Vienna, who welcome Viktoria Plzen to the Ernst-Happel Stadion.
Group K leaders Schalke have won both their fixtures so far but face their toughest challenge to date when they play Sparta Prague.
Fellow group participants Asteras Tripolis and APOEL meet in the other tie.
Partizan, one of just seven teams to win both group games, play Athletic Bilbao in Belgrade as Bundesliga side Augsburg face AZ Alkmaar.
Besiktas travel to Russia to play Lokomotiv Moscow in Group H as Sporting CP greet Albanian minnows Skenderbeu.
Belenenses make the trip to 2012-13 semi-finalists Basel for their Group I encounter, as Fiorentina look to close the gap on their Swiss rivals when they play Lech Poznan.news_articleTue, 20 Oct 2015 02:59:29 +0000Anonymous469282 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Liverpool held, Marseille stunned by SlovanThere was more disappointment for Liverpool in the Europa League, while Marseille suffered a surprise home defeat.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-liverpool-held-marseille-stunned-slovan
Liverpool suffered a second setback in their Europa League campaign as they were held to a 1-1 home draw with Sion on Thursday.
Brendan Rodgers' men were forced to settle for a 1-1 stalemate in their opening Group B encounter, and were frustrated again by the Sion at Anfield.
Adam Lallana opened the scoring in the fourth minute for Liverpool following good work from Divock Origi, but Sion hit back in the 17th minute through Ebenezer Assifuah and held firm to secure a share of the spoils.
Liverpool's frustration will be lessened as a result of Bordeaux's goalless draw with Rubin Kazan, which keeps the Merseyside club level on two points with the French team, two points behind Sion.
Tottenham were another English side forced to settle for a point, with Erik Lamela's first-half effort cancelled out by Stephan El Shaarawy in a 1-1 draw at Monaco. The other game in Group J saw Qarabag beat Anderlecht 1-0.
Marseille were stunned 1-0 by Slovan Liberec, who claimed victory at the Stade Velodrome thanks to Vladimir Coufal's goal six minutes from time. Sporting Braga are now top of Group F thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Groningen.
It was a disappointing night for French sides, with Saint-Etienne losing 3-2 at Lazio in a frenetic Group G encounter that saw Robert Beric and Moustapha Bayal Sall sent off for the visitors. Dnipro won 1-0 at Rosenborg in the other match in the group.
Fernandao scored a double as Fenerbahce came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Celtic in Group A, which also saw Molde hold Ajax 1-1.
Gonzalo Castro spared Borussia Dortmund's blushes with a 72nd-minute strike to earn a 1-1 draw at PAOK in Group C, while Krasnodar were 2-1 winners over Qabala.
Group D leaders Napoli won 2-0 at Legia Warsaw and Midtjylland made it two wins from two with a 3-1 victory at Club Brugge.
Fiorentina eased to a 4-0 away triumph over Belenenses in Group I and Basel beat 10-man Lech Poznan 2-0. Franco Di Santo scored a hat-trick as Schalke defeated Group K rivals Asteras Tripolis 4-0, and Sparta Prague overcame APOEL 2-0.
AZ defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in a Group L match, while Partizan won 3-1 at Augsburg despite seeing Aleksandar Subic sent off.
In Group E Villarreal beat 10-man Viktoria Plzen 1-0 and Rapid Vienna overcame Dinamo Minsk by the same scoreline. Group H saw Lokomotiv Moscow defeat Skenderbeu Korce 2-0 and Besiktas draw 1-1 with Sporting Lisbon.news_articleThu, 01 Oct 2015 22:12:49 +0000Anonymous461831 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Insigne fit for Napoli, Liverpool host SionAs Liverpool prepare to welcome Sion to Anfield, Napoli received some good news on the injury front ahead of their Europa League clash.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-insigne-fit-napoli-liverpool-host-sion
Lorenzo Insigne is expected to be fit for Napoli's trip to Poland in the Europa League as Liverpool prepare for a crucial outing.
Insigne hurt his knee in Napoli's 2-1 win over Juventus in Serie A on Saturday, but has been cleared of serious damage.
He is set to return to training and could be available for the Italian club's clash against Legia Warsaw in Group D.
“The tests have ruled out damage. Lorenzo worked in the gym, and tomorrow will join the rest of the squad," a Napoli statement read.
Napoli opened their campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of Club Brugge on the opening matchday, with the Belgians to take on Denmark's Midtjylland.
Elsewhere, Liverpool can further ease the pressure on Brendan Rodgers when they host Group B leaders Sion at Anfield.
While the Swiss side beat Rubin Kazan, Rodgers' side played out a 1-1 draw with Bordeaux in France.
A 3-2 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League saw the talk surrounding Rodgers' future lessen, but a loss would see it ramp up once again.
Bordeaux travel to Russia to take on Rubin.
High-flying Borussia Dortmund can take control of Group C with a win in Greece, where PAOK await on Thursday.
Krasnodar, beaten by Dortmund in their opening game, host Qabala with both teams looking to get their campaigns going.
In Group A, Celtic host Fenerbahce and Ajax travel to Norway for an encounter against Molde, who are top.
Celtic captain Scott Brown said he was hoping the Scottish side could build on their 2-2 draw at Dutch giants Ajax.
"We're looking forward to it, especially after the result we got in the first game – we went away to Ajax and got a great point – it could maybe even have been three," he told Celtic TV.
"It’s going to be a great atmosphere as it always is at Celtic Park and hopefully we can do ourselves justice."
Tottenham made an unimpressive but winning start in Group J, and Mauricio Pochettino's men visit Monaco, while Anderlecht do battle with Qarabag,
Schalke are looking to stay perfect in Group K when they meet Asteras Tripolis, while Sparta Prague meet APOEL.
Group E will see Viktoria Plzen visit Villarreal and Dinamo Minsk host Rapid Vienna, while Marseille and Sporting Braga take on Slovan Liberec and Groningen respectively in Group F.
With all teams on a point in Group G, Saint-Etienne are at Lazio and Rosenborg meet Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.
In Group L, the winning starts of Athletic Bilbao and Partizan will be put to the test at AZ and Augsburg respectively.
Sporting Lisbon visit Besiktas in Group H and leaders Lokomotiv Moscow are up against Skenderbeu Korce, while Group I will see Basel host Lech Poznan and Fiorentina meet Belenenses.news_articleTue, 29 Sep 2015 03:25:33 +0000Anonymous460482 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Review: Park keeps Dortmund's winning start intactPark Joo-ho scored in injury time to give Borussia Dortmund a 2-1 win over Krasnodar that maintains their 100 per cent start to the season.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-review-park-keeps-dortmunds-winning-start-intact
Borussia Dortmund maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a 2-1 win over Krasnodar in the Europa League, courtesy of a late winner from Park Joo-ho.
The Russian side had taken the lead at Signal Iduna Park, and Thomas Tuchel's charges were far from their free-scoring best, but Matthias Ginter scored in first-half stoppage time to level the scores, before Park capped his full debut with a headed winner at the death.
Napoli ran riot in their Group D opener, as Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens scored twice each in a 5-0 rout of Club Brugge.
The home side were three ahead by half-time after Callejon's chipped opener and Mertens' brace, and Marek Hamsik made it 4-0 before Callejon got in behind the Brugge back four to ensure the scoreline was emphatic.
At the Amsterdam ArenA, Ajax needed a late equaliser from Lasse Schone to salvage a 2-2 draw against 10-man Celtic.
Viktor Fischer cancelled out Nir Bitton's opener early on in the contest, but Celtic led again thanks to Mikael Lustig's headed goal.
Celtic looked on course for a valuable away win until Emilio Izaguirre was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Schone then beat Craig Gordon with a free-kick from a narrow angle.
Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw in Bordeaux, where Adam Lallana's goal was cancelled out by Jussie's equaliser, and Lazio also failed to get off to a winning start despite Sergey Milinkovic-Savic's first goal for the club, as Yevhen Seleznyov's injury-time equaliser earned Dnipro a 1-1 draw in Dnipropetrovsk.
Tottenham enjoyed a straightforward start to their Group J campaign, as two goals from Son Heung-min and one from Erik Lamela earned them a 3-1 win over Qarabag, and Athletic Bilbao won by the same scoreline against Augsburg, thanks to a brace from Aritz Aduriz and a late strike by Markel Susaeta.
Lacina Traore stepped off the bench to grab a late equaliser for Monaco in their 1-1 draw with Anderlecht, while Molde FK became the first Norwegian team to beat Fenerbahce, running out 3-1 winners in Istanbul.
Elsewhere, Schalke won 3-0 at APOEL, Paulo Sousa's Fiorentina were beaten 2-1 at home by the coach's former club Basel, Villarreal lost 2-1 at Rapid Vienna, and Marseille were 3-0 winners at Groningen.
Other winners on a busy night across the continent included Viktoria Plzen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Besiktas, Partizan, Midtjylland, Sion and Sporting Braga, while Sparta Prague, Lech Poznan, PAOK, and Saint-Etienne all drew their respective ties.news_articleThu, 17 Sep 2015 21:56:00 +0000Anonymous455769 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comEuropa League Preview: Sousa welcomes former side Basel, Dortmund out to prove a pointThe Europa League starts on Thursday and coaches Paulo Sousa and Thomas Tuchel will be keen to catch the eye for their new clubs.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/europa-league-preview-sousa-welcomes-former-side-basel-dortmund-out-prove-point
Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa will come face-to-face with former employers Basel when the Europa League gets under way on Thursday, while early favourites Borussia Dortmund can display their credentials against Krasnodar.
Sousa led Basel to the Swiss title last term and left for Florence during the close-season, replacing the sacked Vincenzo Montella, and the Italian club's first outing in the Europa League group stage will see their new coach reunite with some familiar faces.
The Portuguese tactician spent just a single year in Switzerland but will no doubt be keen to prove that his move to a bigger league was justified, while fellow Group I sides Belenenses and Lech Poznan will be battling it out in Poland.
Although Fiorentina – beaten semi-finalists last year – will be expected to reach the latter stages again, they may not share the lofty expectations of Dortmund, who begin the competition as favourites in the eyes of many and capable of breezing through Group C.
Under the stewardship of new coach Thomas Tuchel, the Germans have put last season's troubles behind them, winning nine games in a row, and few would bet on Krasnodar halting that run at Signal Iduna Park.
Like Dortmund, Liverpool are back in the Europa League group stage after soaking in the glitz of the Champions League last season and Brendan Rodgers' men begin with arguably their toughest fixture of the phase at Bordeaux, while Rubin Kazan head to Sion.
Two historic European clubs meet each other in Group A as Ajax host Scottish champions Celtic, with Fenerbahce - boosted by the close-season arrivals of Robin van Persie and Nani - welcoming Molde to Istanbul.
Napoli were also eliminated in the semis last term and they start their quest to go at least a step further at home to Club Brugge, while Midtjylland and Legia Warsaw contest Group D's other fixture.
Napoli's conquerors last season were Dnipro, but the Ukrainian side could be a less dangerous prospect this term having lost the mercurial talents of Yevhen Konoplyanka. The Dnipropetrovsk outfit get under way against another Serie A side, Lazio, with Rosenborg and Saint-Etienne also meeting.
There will be plenty more big sides in action on Thursday, with Tottenham, Villarreal, Marseille, Monaco, Schalke and Athletic Bilbao expected to prevail in their respective openers against Qarabag, Rapid Vienna, Groningen, Anderlecht, APOEL and Augsburg.
Elsewhere, Dinamo Minsk, Braga, Lokomotiv Moscow, Besiktas, Sparta Prague and AZ begin on the road at Viktoria Plzen, Slovan Liberec, Sporting Lisbon, Skenderbeu Korce, Asteras and Partizan Belgrade respectively.news_articleTue, 15 Sep 2015 19:13:53 +0000Anonymous454701 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com